Der deutsche Roman seit Goethe : Skizzen und Streiflichter

In this concise series of talks, a seasoned literary scholar invites listeners to reconsider the novel’s place in German culture. Delivered originally to mixed audiences in early twentieth‑century lecture halls, the material has been preserved faithfully, with only minor textual corrections. The speaker’s aim is not to rewrite literary history but to equip educated readers with a clear framework for judging what endures in the novel’s evolution.

The lectures trace the German novel from its Romantic roots through the rise of historical and naturalist narratives, spotlighting key shifts such as the emergence of the objective time novel and the later turn toward problem and society novels. By drawing concise “strokes of light” on each movement, the presenter highlights works that have shaped the genre’s lasting value, while warning against the casual reading habits that often reduce novels to mere entertainment. Listeners gain a compact, yet thoughtful, guide to navigating the rich landscape of German fiction.